


Petit Triumph Bakery

by thatdragonchic



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Jack comes back, Jack's a Grandpa, M/M, Mac's moved on and gotten married, and has a baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatdragonchic/pseuds/thatdragonchic
Summary: Jack finally comes home and finds he's missed so much of Mac's life, and now he's standing outside the Bakery Mac owns with his husband, and he wonders if his kid will still accept him back in his life. All he has to do is walk through those doors to find out- but maybe the truth will be too heart breaking.





	Petit Triumph Bakery

He lingers outside the shop for a moment, the door between them blocking out his laughter, the sound of his voice, the warmth of the hug he once knew so well. There he was, on the other side of the door- and Jack felt as if he’d missed so much. He missed his wedding, he missed them moving, opening the shop. There was so much gone, and yet so much there- all he had to do was step through the door of the little bakery, and he’d find out just how much he’d lost Mac- if any part of him stilled remained in Mac’s heart. 

Part of him is terrified, wants to run the other way, the rest of him stays there, waiting. Watching as Mac settles at the table near the back with Jasper, a plate between them. And Jasper seems to put down a baby’s car seat, but he’s not quite sure if that’s what it was- would Matty have told him if his kid had gotten a kid? He’s not even sure that Mac is still his kid- he keeps telling himself that, that what they had may be lost now.

He paces away from the window and then back, watching as Jasper smiles at Mac, how the other appears older than Jack remember- perhaps a bit fuller, even. Jack imagines that the two having aged a few years, he shouldn’t expect them to still look so young. To look like they were kids still. But he also wishes that Mac hadn’t aged a day, that he was in a time capsule, and that when Jack returned, everything would return with him in the same step he’d left it in. 

But there Mac was, and there was his husband, and potentially a baby. In a Bakery, in Manhattan that they owned together. The world was at a crashing stand still, and there was snow starting to lazily drift down over the world in it’s lazy november way, and there was noise behind him but he could hardly hear it, and the air was chilled, blowing around him, but inside the lights were yellow, and he thinks he could feel the warmth through the glass, hear Mac’s laughter through the thick windows. Finally he goes and opens the door, walking in slowly.

The first thing he thinks is  _ bread  _ and he wonders if they’re baking a fresh batch so light- then he recalls they really open in the late evening when they’ve finished all their classes, sent all their students home. They’re professors, that’s what Matty had said- professors and researchers first, bakery owners second. There were students scattered about, a few older couples enjoying coffee together, and yet nobody paid him any mind. For a moment he feels as if he’s not real, that if he walked up to Mac, Mac wouldn’t even see him. 

He had a wine glass beside him, was balancing his fork between two fingers, the fork stuffed with what looked stuffing, or maybe it was rice. He wasn’t entirely sure. He was only a few feet from Mac but he felt so far away- maybe his eyes were going out. Aging sucked. 

Jasper doesn’t seem to notice him, more focused on the tender piece of meat he had dug into with his fork, on the table behind them were papers and pens scattered about- stickers and stamps too. Jasper doesn’t take the bite, rather feeds it to Mac, and smiles. The two were tender, trapped in their own marital bliss bubble, Jack thinks his heart breaks and aches with happiness for Mac all in one fell swoop. 

He slowly approaches the table, which was right in front of the ordering counter, and that seems to catch their attention. 

“You were right, on the phone,” Jack finally says. “This is a fine little place you’ve got.”

Mac nearly drops his wine glass, spilling a bit on the table, which Jasper seems to be prepared for as he sets a napkin over it, and lurches forward, wrapping Jack in a suffocating hug- not the awkward ones Mac always seems to give, where he smacks the person’s back, and doesn’t lean into it too hard, as if he’s trying to get away- no this was different. He wrapped his arms around Jack’s torso, and smushed his face in Jacks shoulder and squeezed him tight, and if Jack didn’t know any better, he’d think Mac was crying- was he crying? 

“You  _ came _ ,” Mac says, muffled by the collar of Jack’s shirt.

“Yeah I did,” Jack says softly, smiling. 

Mac pulls away. “I cannot believe you came! I mean it only took me 6 phone calls convincing you that you’d love a vacation in New York City- do you have a hotel? Are you staying somewhere? You should stay with us, in our pent house, we have this one room- and I mean I didn’t know if you’d ever come back, and not that it’s your room but I think you’d like it more than most people like it,” Mac rumbles. “And you  _ came.  _ I mean we were just talking about buying tickets to fly out to LA-”

“Hey, take a deep breath, of course I came, you really think after 6 phone calls of you tellin me all about your fancy life I wasn’t gonna come check it out to call your bluff myself?”

“There is no bluff, my husband pampers me.”

“More like spoils you rotten.”

“What can I say? Besides this is his place, I just scoop the cookie dough sometimes. You’d love the cookies- we just made a fresh batch of Rocky Road cookies-”

“You still love Rocky Road?”

“More than I love Christmas,” Mac confirms and Jack laughs, squeezing Mac tightly in his arms, and Mac just melts into Jacks hug. He had missed Jack so, so much. Jack could hardly fathom how much Mac had missed him, it wasn’t possible.

“I should warn you, our house is a bit of a mess. I don’t know if Matty told you but we have a little girl now, her name is Ellie, she’s 14 months, but we got her just after she turned one. She likes making a mess of things.”

Jack smiles, a bit watery. “No, she didn’t mention anything about kids.”

Mac laughs. “Yeah she really takes it out of us sometimes, but I think you’d really love her.”

“I know I will.”

“She’s sleeping, she’d really hate me if I woke her up, and I’m currently the favorite parent so- hey did you want coffee or anything? Where are your bags, or car- did you rent a car?”

“Oh it’s all at this hotel Matty paid for.”

“Well, cancel your reservation there. We have plenty of room- it wouldn’t even be a problem. I want you to stay with us.”

“I’m sure you got your hands tied,” Jack starts to excuse and Mac shakes his head.

“No, I mean the semester is tying up, but trust me, it wouldn’t be a problem. And you’d really love the apartment, and you can sleep all day, and tomorrow me and you can get dinner or- I know how to cook now-”

“Take that lightly,” Jasper chips in and Jack laughs, finally acknowledging the other man. 

“What’s cooking?” Jack asks.

“He’s a pasta pro, and he makes a pretty mean fried chicken, not gonna lie. Last week he made panko chicken in the oven and didn’t burn it,  _ and  _ correctly assembled a salad that wasn’t from a bag, and properly paired it with an appropriate dressing.”

“You did that?” Jack asks, pride flowing through his veins and Mac nods.

“I did! And last month he left me in charge of the biscuits and I only made them a little too crisp.”

“They tasted great with butter the next day,” Jasper assures, winking. Jack laughs, looking at Mac as he looked over at his husband, and somehow Mac seemed so… different, so much more relaxed, so much healthier, his skin glowing just a tad, he doesn’t tense at unexpected touch, and he seems less nervous, more open. “You should stay,” Jasper confirms. “We can close the shop tomorrow, and take him to that indian place. You’d love it- it looks like a garden inside.”

“I’m sure I will love it,” Jack confirms looking over at the car seat as a little hiccup escapes from there. Jasper looks over and purses his lips at what Jack assumes is their baby. 

“She looks confused,” he informs Mac who laughs.

“Why?”

Jasper shrugs, taking the little girl out of the car seat, and she’s dressed in a purple onsie with a red and orange pumpkin dress over it. “You can imagine who did the clothes shopping for her,” Jasper teases. “I sent Riley to regulate but she did a very poor job.”

Jack laughs, watching Mac scoop up the sleepy little girl who rests her head on his shoulder, as if she’d always known Mac. 

“Ellie, come on up, say hi to Grandpa Jack,” he coos softly, Jasper getting up as a customer walks in, Jack moving out of the way. Jasper comes in with full southern charm.

“I reckon y’all are new customers, I don’t recall ever seeing you before,” Jack hears him say, offering them free coffee, plating the small cakes or cookies they chose. Jack looks to Mac and can’t help the watery smile as he cooes to the little girl, encouraging her to acknowledge  _ grandpa Jack.  _

He can’t believe after all these years Mac still held such a high place in his heart for Jack. Still adored Jack so much. 

Jasper returns with a plate of warm dinner for Jack, grabs him a chair to sit with them. Jack doesn’t have the heart to say no, and so he doesn’t. He sits down in the chair with them, Jasper offering to take the little girl but Mac shakes his head.

“I got her babe, you finish eating, you have way more to grade than me.”

Jasper laughs, sipping from his glass of wine, and Jack smiles glancing between them. He finds the two work pretty effortlessly together. And Jack watches as they eventually close up shop and drive Jack back to the hotel, insisting that he should stay with them after tonight. Jack agrees, and Mac walks Jack up to his room, the two alone as they walk down the quiet halls of the hotel. 

“You know,” Jack says after a moment. “I’m real proud of you Mac.”

Mac looks up and gets the most touched smile. “You are?” he asks softly and Jack nods. 

“Course I am kid, ain’t nobody like you- never fail to impress me. I mean, I already know you’re gonna be the best daddy that little girl could ever had, and that husband of yours- he’s a little testy on my nerves sometimes but, he’s real good to you and that’s what matters- I mean look at the life you built with me. You did what I never could, you got out, you got a new job on the outside, opened yourselves up a little homely shop.”

Mac smiles. “He loves that shop with his whole heart,” Mac admits and Jack smiles. 

“I know I missed a lot of stuff when I was gone, and I am so sorry-”

“It’s not your fault,” Mac insists. “I don’t blame you. I… I’m just glad you’re here now, and if it was up to me, I’d make sure you never left- I mean, you could help Julius and Mel run the shop when we’re not around, you’d make a great addition. And- And you could stay with Ellie at home sometimes, we could show you all our favorite spots… I mean, I know you like LA, I do too, but… I don’t know, this is home now. And if you’re all the way over there, I don’t want to be all the way over here without you.”

Jack softens. “I’ll have to think about it, Matty might kick my ass if I just up and leave her like that.”

“She won’t mind too much,” Mac says softly.

Jack smiles. “I don’t know, she holds a good grudge.”

“Not against me, she won’t. You’d love it here, Jack.”

“I promise I’ll think about it.”

“And promise you’ll tell the hotel you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Promise,” Jack says and Mac smiles, nudging his arm, before Jack opens his room door and says goodnight. He couldn’t bare to think how it’d break his kid’s heart if he told him he wouldn’t move out there, and he stays up all night, thinking about it. Thinking about Mac insisting he stay, thinking about how things would go in the morning.

 

There house is chaos, Mac and Jasper running about the apartment as mac realizes he’s about to miss the subway to the school and checking the traffic on the streets. “I’m not about to run in my nice plaid,” he informs Jasper, as Jasper fills up Mac’s travel mug with coffee and kisses his cheek.

“Just send out a text,” he says, looking to Jack as if asking to help.

“It really ain’t that big of a deal- they’re college kids. You being late is their dream.”

Mac sighs. “Next subway car there isn’t for another hour. I’m just gonna cancel class.”

Jasper laughs as Mac slumps into the stool at the island bar of the kitchen, sipping from his travel mug and typing as fast he can to inform his students. 

“Gives you grading time,” Jasper says. “I’m going to go get ready. Did you already give Ellie a snack?”

“Yeah, she’s currently drinking juice, I gave her an apple while you picked up Jack.”

“Mac doesn’t like driving in the city,” Jasper informs Jack. “he said that LA is much safer to drive in, and that the New York Streets scare him.”

“They’re awful and i hate it,” Mac informs.

“I’m not judging,” Jack promises. 

Mac smiles, going to grab the binder off the coffee table in the living room some feet away, returning with a binder and a baby. 

“Elizabeth, say hi to Grandpa Jack.”

The little girl looks on shyly and looks to Mac before her face thwats into Mac’s shoulder, hiding herself there. He nods for a moment. “I thought you said you wanted to say hi today,” Mac says. “We talked about this.”

“nnnnO!” she yells and Mac purses his lips.

“She’s a work in progress,” he informs Jack. “Doesn’t like new people very much?”

“Again, sounds a lot like someone I know.”

Mac laughs. “Hey, I’m a lot better with people!”

“Yeah I’m sure you are.”

“I am.”

 

Jack gets to wipe down the tables while they open up shop, Jasper seems exhausted but he doesn’t complain as he pipes out macarons on sheets, and Mac takes out the cookie dough they prepared last night and starts to put it in sheets. Julius is making concha’s and has Mel mixing up marshmallow batter to make some marshmallows for the cocoa. 

Mac sets the first two sheets into the oven and goes over to check on Ellie who’s in a little playpen on the side of the counter that’s facing the front of the store. He knew she was safe with Jack there, but he can’t help himself. 

Jack watches him, leaning down as she tries to show him something. She’d warmed up to Jack throughout the day, and Jack thinks he could very easily get used to living like this, as he finishes cleaning up the tables and opening the curtains of the store front. He stops a moment to watch Mac get back to work and can see Jasper starting a new batch of macarons, this time pink, and Mac is reading something. It was quiet and loud all at once. Familiar and unfamiliar, and yet Jack thinks there’s no other place he belongs. 

“We should play the 70’s rock station,” Mac suggests as he turns their radio on, and Jasper laughs.

“Turn on the romance station, I’m in the mood for some romancing,” Jasper says, sounding joking and Mac laughs, going to kiss his shoulder.

“Behave or Jack will kill you.”

“Please, we’re not 25, I think we’re very well mannered men.”

Mac seems fond as he rolls his eyes, moving on to whatever task it was, and involving Jack. Jasper occasionally glances over at Ellie in her pen, and eventually glances to see that Jack is doing his task correctly, offering little pieces of knowledge and advice as they go along.

By the time they open there’s a line of people waiting and they rush in, Jack put onto entertaining the guests as the rest rush about making americano’s and latte’s and whatever it was that people ordered, serving up the cookies and breads, and Jasper was in the back, slaving away over cakes, baking them, cooling them, layering them, glazing them. He had enough ready from last night that some lay in the display case, beautiful and shimmering, and well thought about. 

Everything fell into place here. Everyone felt like family, everything felt familiar, and Mac had this gorgeous laugh that lit up the room as he spoke to customers and students. The room was warm, and outside there was a gentle dusting of snow making it’s way from the clouds, it was cold and grey out there- but here, in the petit triumph’s bakery, there was only warmth and love.

“This is Jack Dalton, he was basically my dad since I joined the army at 18,” he hears Mac explain approaching him. “This is our regular, Sandy, she’s from the New York Times,” he says, and Jack smiles, extending a hand.

“Mac says your thinking of moving in?”

Jack looks between them and smiles. “Yeah, I just have to find an apartment. If you have any listings, I’d love to know.”

She laughs. “Oh I have plenty. Offer me some company and I’ll offer you listings.”

“Well Sandy, aren’t you just lucky old mister Dalton has a few good stories to tell?” He looks to Mac who’s beaming and gestures the two to a table, soon bringing them both coffee and desserts to share. Jack doesn’t think there’s any place in the world he’d rather be than here. As it turns out, home is where your kids are. And his kid was right here, and well, Jack doesn’t think he’d rather be anywhere else. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thaaanks for reading!  
> I always appreciate comments, much love as always <3


End file.
